Bengaluru-based spacetech startup OXG Space has raised Rs 17 crore in a funding round led by Aum Ventures, with participation from Skyroot Aerospace co-founders Pawan Kumar Chandana and Bharath Daka, and Cosmoserve founder Chiran Phanindra. The investment will support the startup’s plan to demonstrate satellite connectivity and in-orbit computing technologies through a 12-month programme called Mission Synapse.
Founded by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) engineers Akash Shetty and Sanjay Gorur, OXG Space is developing orbital infrastructure designed to connect satellites and process Earth-observation data in space before delivering useful information to users on Earth.
The company is targeting a persistent problem in satellite operations: the delay between capturing an image and getting actionable information to the people who need it.
- Why OXG Space Is Taking Computing Into Orbit
Earth-observation satellites often have to store imagery until they pass within range of a ground station. That can leave users waiting hours for data to be transmitted and processed.
OXG Space says the gap between observation and insight can range from four to 12 hours, while satellites remain out of contact for about 74% of the day. The company also estimates that up to 90% of collected data may be unusable. These are company-reported figures, rather than universal measurements across all satellite missions.
OXG’s approach combines connectivity inspired by 5G non-terrestrial networks with onboard computing. The company describes its proposed infrastructure as “edge cell towers in space”, intended to help satellites communicate, process information and deliver intelligence with less dependence on ground infrastructure.
“For years, the industry has tried to solve the EO data problem by adding downlink capacity and ground stations,” co-founders Shetty and Gorur said, arguing that placing connectivity and computing in orbit could help operators act on information while it remains relevant.
- Mission Synapse Targets 1 Gbps Connectivity
The fresh capital will fund Mission Synapse, a 12-month programme to demonstrate three core technologies in orbit:
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Ka-band phased-array antenna: targeting an initial link capacity of 1 Gbps, with a roadmap to 64 Gbps per spacecraft.
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Deployable mesh reflector: designed to support ground connectivity.
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Deployable solar array: intended to power the computing and communications payloads.
These are development targets, not demonstrated operating results. The programme’s key test will be whether the components can work together reliably in the demanding conditions of space.
The founders bring more than 17 years of combined experience across India’s space programmes, including work on spacecraft systems associated with Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3.
- Aum Ventures Backs Another Layer of India’s Space Economy
Aum Ventures led the investment through its India Innovation Fund II, a Rs 750 crore fund targeting early-stage deep-tech companies across areas including spacetech, semiconductors, defence technology, artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced manufacturing. Its portfolio includes Skyroot Aerospace and Cosmoserve, among other companies.
For India’s growing space sector, OXG represents a push beyond launch vehicles and satellite manufacturing towards the infrastructure that connects spacecraft and turns their data into timely intelligence. Its next milestone is technical: demonstrating the proposed systems in orbit and showing that they can deliver dependable connectivity and computing at scale.
